Biography
Jerry T. Yates is the winner of the "2008 Roots Music Association Gospel Artist of the Year Award"! After winning the award, in San Marcos, Texas, Jerry commented that his win was purely by the grace of God. He said, "With greats like Ricky Skaggs and The Blind Boys of Alabama nominated in the same category as me, it wasn't possible for me to win! But by His grace, I guess God stepped in and did another impossible thing!"
Jerry T. Yates hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Ashe County, in the far northwestern corner of North Carolina, about ten minutes from the home of, probably the world's greatest guitar flatpicker and Travis Style Fingerpicker, Doc Watson.
Jerry's grandmother and the father of popular NBC celebrity, Willard Scott, were sister and brother, making Jerry and Willard cousins. After hearing a performance by Jerry, Willard commented," Jerry's musical contribution to the service made me proud to be able to call him my cousin. His talents displayed at the service made it very special for everyone in attendance. Any Church or other organization would be well served by his musical abilities."
Jerry is the receipient of the "2008 Roots Music Association Gospel Artist of the Year Award"! The award ceremony was held at the Embassy Suites Hotel, in San Marcos, Texas. Rev. Yates was also one of the performers, at the RMA Music Festival, in San Marcos. He is especially happy to have had one of his original songs on the Roots Music Report's, Roots Gospel Chart. The song, "There's Peace From the Lord" debuted at #14 on this chart, and remained on the chart for more than 54 weeks, never dropping out of the top 30!
Jerry is signed to the TMG (Tate Music Group) record label! After listening to some of Jerry's music, including the music here on Sonicbids, TMG made him a formal offer to sign with them! TMG's Artist Acquisitions person said, "So far, in reviewing Jerry T. Yates' music, along with the thousands of others we have received, I have yet to find anyone else with Jerry's same sound and mission. Even through the influences of Fogerty and others, it is clear that he has something that is unique and all his own."
Jerry's musical influences
include Elvis, Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, Tony Joe White, Carl Perkins, Scotty Moore, Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, Norman Blake, and the Carter Family.
Jerry's family moved to Fairburn, GA. in 1961, and a seventh grade class talent show was Jerry's first public performance, singing and playing guitar. He continued to play guitar and sing in numerous rock (not Gospel) bands throughout high school. After high school graduation, in 1970, Jerry embarked on a career in radio broadcasting, working as DJ, News Director, and Music Director. During this period, the future minister performed in several rock and country bands, playing a circuit of honky tonks and juke joints around the South. He later became a popular Elvis impersonator, until he was saved in 1975. In 1978 Jerry heard God's call to preach.
On the 1st day of January, 1979, Jerry formed the Contemporary Christian group "Chosen Vessels", and later, the Southern Rock/Rockabilly Gospel band, Jerry Yates and Rock Solid Revival. Jerry felt led to leave the Band, to become a solo, acoustic Gospel artist, with a more Country Blues/Rockabilly and Old-Time style, better known today as "Americana" and/or "Roots Music."
As a solo artist, Jerry has received several nominations for various awards. In 1994 he received the International Country Gospel Music Association's (ICGMA) award for "New Male Vocalist of the Year" from Georgia. More recently, in November 2008, Rev. Yates received the "2008 Roots Music Association Gospel Artist of the Year Award". In January, 2007, Rev. Yates was nominated for "Acoustic Artist of the Year" and "Country Artist of the Year" for the 2nd annual "IndieHeaven Momentum Awards". Then, in January, 2008, He was nominated for "Male Vocalist" and "Acoustic Artist of the Year", for the 3rd annual "IndieHeaven Momentum Awards".
In April, June, July, and August of 2007, Jerry received the Emerald Award for each of those four months. The Emerald Awards were awarded to Rev. Jerry for having one of the most played songs on the radio, during each of the individual months. The awards were awarded to him by RhonBob Promotions, who manages his radio promotions.
Jerry began writing songs, soon after his parents gave him his first guitar, for his 10th birthday. As a singer/songwriter of Christian songs, Jerry has been blessed to have had many original compositions, which he also recorded, reach various Christian Country/Country Gospel and several other Radio charts, both nationally and internationally.
Rev. Yates is well aware of the fact that, inviting or booking someone you don't know, to come minister in, or for your Church can be risky business. Therefore, here is Jerry T. Yates Ministries Statement of Faith:
1. We believe in the divine inspiration, truthfulness, and authority of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety, as the only written Word of God, without error in all that it affirms, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
2. We believe that there is One God eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of lost and sinful man.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live an obedient and spiritually productive life.
6. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Christ, and that the Church, the Body of Christ, is God's institution.
Jerry T. Yates' radio promotion is managed by RhonBob Promotions, in Kodak, TN.(www.rhonbob.com).
Please visit Jerry's websites at: www.indieheaven.com/artists/jerryyates
www.myspace.com/jerryyates
www.jerryyatesministries.com
Jerry may be contacted at jkyates@bellsouth.net or
(770) 252-9176 for bookings or for ordering CDs, or just to say hello.
Jerry T. Yates Ministries address is:
2000 Mt. Carmel RD.
Newnan, GA. 30263
Instrumentation
Jerry T. Yates is a solo artist, who sings and plays acoustic guitar. He usually has two guitars with him on stage, and he uses both, but not at the same time. Sometimes Rev. Yates will also use a stomp board. This is an amplified board or box, on which Jerry taps his feet to the music, adding a little percussion. He also uses a Vocalist.Live2, Vocal Harmony effects processor, which adds vocal background harmonies to his singing.
Discography
1991--"To the Glory of God"/EP/cassette
1994--"Let My Spirit Lead"/cassette
1994--"The One Who Died For Me"/cassette
1998--"Looking Up"/CD&Cassette
2000--"I Got Saved in a Chevrolet"/CD&Cassette
2003--"Rev. Jerry Yates"/CD
2005--"Truth"/CD
2006--"Jesus Is Coming"/CD
2007--"The Least of These"/CD
Songs from "Jesus Is Coming" and "The Least of These" can be heard and/or downloaded or purchased at:
www.sonicbids.com/JerryYates www.indieheaven.com/artists/jerryyates and
www.myspace.com/jerryyates.
Links
| http://www.jerryyatesministries.com |
| RhonBob Promotions/Radio promotions |